Pressed Garden
  Floral  Preservation  LLC

Q: How long will it take to press my bouquet?

A: Please allow 2-6 months for the entire process.

​

Q: How fresh must my flowers be?

A: The fresher your flowers are, the better the outcome will be.  Flowers must be delivered to me within 4 days if local and 3 days if shipped (overnight express). I cannot press flowers older than 4 days from your event.

​

Q: Can I ship my bouquet to you?

A: Yes, you can “Overnight Express” your flowers to me and I must receive them in 3 days OR LESS from the date of your event.  Please call ahead to make sure I will be present to receive them.  See Shipping Instructions below in "Storing, Packing, and Shipping Your Bouquet to Pressed Garden." I am really picky that these directions be followed so that your bridal art turns out as beautiful as possible!

Q: Should I hang dry my flowers or freeze them before sending them to you?

A: NO!!! Pressing flowers requires moist, fresh petals. If they are dry or frozen, they cannot be pressed.

Q: Are Gift Certificates available?  

A: Yes, they are!  Often, bridesmaids will pull their money together to have the brides bouquet preserved.  Other ideal gift ideas: Preserving Mothers or Bridesmaids Flowers makes a lovely  gift!  Also, flowers from Prom, Mother's Day, New Baby, Valentine’s Day, Anniversaries,  Quinceanera.

Q: Can you place other items in the picture, such as a wedding invitation, photographs, or ribbons from my bouquet?

A: As long as the item you wish to include in your picture is flat, yes, I can do this. Adding one item is included in the package price, and adding more items will incur an extra charge.

Q: How long can I expect my picture to last?

A:  My goal is to create art for you that is handed down through generations and I do everything I know to do to make that happen!  Still, there are many determining factors, like the freshness of the flowers when I receive them, and the conditions where the art is displayed. Pesticides and chemicals sprayed on the fresh flowers can also effect them. I have made every effort to ensure that your floral heirloom will last a lifetime; however, because these are real flowers, changes of color or fading are normal and should be expected. To slow this process, avoid displaying your art in direct sunlight or in excessively humid conditions. Bits of pollen and plants can also fall in the frame over time. So handle your floral art with care and gentleness.

Q: Can you press any type of flower?

A: After 16 years of preserving flowers, there are very few flowers that I cannot press!  I use 5 different types of presses, because flowers vary, for example, some flowers bruise easily and require tender loving care, while others require a great deal of weight.   Please see The Recommended  Flower List below to help you make your floral selections.

​

Q: What about all-white bouquets?

A: Honestly, all-white bouquets are the most difficult, because most of them dry brown and bringing them back to white is very time consuming.  And, not all white flowers respond well to color enhancement. Also, without any color in the bouquet, the art can look like a moosh of white. Some floral preservation artists refuse to do them. So, it is helpful to have something in the bouquet that has color, even if it is just leaves. You could grab a some leaves from a tree you get married under or other wedding/reception florals! 

Q: Will my pressed flowers be the same color as the fresh bouquet?

A: You should not expect your pressed flowers to be the exact color of the fresh bouquet. For example, whites dry to ivory, reds generally become darker.  I often use color enhancing techniques to aid in bringing the color back, but even that is not always exact. My goal is to create art that looks exactly like your bouquet and a walk through my gallery will show you that sometimes I hit that mark and sometimes I do not. There are a mountain of contributing factors that weigh into the final outcome of the art. (freshness of the flowers, chemicals used in the fields, uncooperative flowers, etc) While I cannot guarantee that your art will match your bouquet identically, I can guarantee that I will do my best to create quality art from your flowers.  The Recommendation  Flower List (below) will help you in your selection.

​

Q: What happens to the parts of my bouquet that do not make it into the art?

A: Every single flower/leaf will be returned to you in the form of art, left over pressed petals and potpourri that I make from excess/bruised plant material for you at no charge.

​

Q: Can you press Everlastings/Dried Flowers?

A:  Sometimes. Because these are already dry, they are often brittle and hard, making them difficult or impossible to press. I recommend fresh flowers be mixed in if you want pressed flower art. 

​

Q: Can I include other items?

A: Yes! As long as the items are flat! If you want to include your wedding picture, I strongly recommend a quality print because once the art is vacuum sealed, it cannot be opened. I don't want your picture to fade quickly. If you are in need of a good, quality photograph printer, let me know, as I have a vendor that can do that for you.

​

Q: Why do you vacuum seal?

My goal is for your Floral Preservation Art to last as long as possible. But we have a few enemies! UV Light is one and I use Museum Glass to cut 98% of those rays. Teeny bugs, molds, mildews and humidity are the others. Vacuum sealing not only kills anything like that that might already be hiding in your flowers, but is a barrier to them into the future.